Latest news with #ReichmanUniversity
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Dust devils on Mars may spark lightning — possibly threatening NASA's Perseverance rover
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Dust devils on Mars could be crackling with electric currents, according to a new study — and scientists are a little concerned about this because a buildup of such charge could harm rovers rolling along the surface of Mars. "Electrified dust will adhere to conducting surfaces such as wheels, solar panels and antennas. This may diminish the availability of solar energy, harm communications and complicate the motion of rovers and robots," Yoav Yair, a professor at Reichman University in Israel who studies planetary lightning and was not part of the new study, told The study, led by Varun Sheel, head of the Planetary Science Division at the Physical Research Laboratory in India, uses computer models to show how charges could be distributed inside a Martian dust devil. But before getting to how charge buildup works within Red Planet dust devils, it is key to understand how dust devils form on Mars to begin with. As the sun heats the Martian surface, air near the surface gets heated. Hot air is lighter than cool air, and so it tends to rise. Pockets of hot air therefore rise through cold air, rapidly forming an upward current. The sudden uprush causes air to speed horizontally inward to the center of a newly forming vortex. If the conditions are right, the vortex completes formation and starts spinning. As the air continues to rise, the vortex gets stretched vertically — sort of like a noodle — making the vortex spin even more quickly. As the vortex picks up speed, the wind swirls and kicks up dust. This creates a dust devil. In short, dust devils are like little gusts of dust high on adrenaline. Dust devils are frequent on the dry and dusty Martian surface. Mars has lower gravity and a thinner atmosphere compared to Earth. This allows the wind there to kick up dust higher than wind on Earth can. As a result, Martian dust devils can be thrice as large as their terrestrial analogues. NASA's Viking was the first spacecraft to report dust devils on Mars. Later, Mars rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance captured dust devils zooming across the desolate Martian landscape. In general, such whirlwinds can pose a threat to landers and rovers — however, some rovers have actually benefited from dust devils. In 2005, a benevolent dust devil blew dust off the Spirit rover's solar panels, increasing its power levels. Dust devils on Mars, indeed, are a fascinating and curious phenomenon. And deepening the intrigue, the new study suggests lightning could be zapping inside these dust devils on Mars. The most common form of lightning on Earth is the one seen during a thunderstorm. As water and ice churn violently inside a thundercloud, they generate electrical charges due to friction. Once that happens, the atmosphere around the clouds doesn't let these charges flow through easily. This means the charges have nowhere to go and keep building up. At some point, the charges can't hold anymore — and they snap. The charges crack through the atmosphere in the form of an electrically conductive conduit, which we see as lightning. Interestingly, the new study's team explains, a similar kind of churning happens inside dust devils on both Earth and Mars. In the case of dust devils rather than clouds, however, it's the dust particles that are getting churned instead of ice and water droplets. Again, friction builds up charges, and when the charges can't hold any more, the charges release in the form of lightning. To be clear, the formation of a strong electric field precedes lightning and no direct observations of electric fields within dust devils on Mars have been found thus far. Instead, the study uses computer models to estimate the possible electric field strength and distribution within a Martian dust devil. This is, in fact, the first study to consider the size distribution of dust particles. Sheel and his team found that when the atmosphere of Mars is laden with dust, the atmosphere becomes less conductive, prohibiting the flow of charges. This could cause a massive charge buildup in a dust-filled vortex, triggering lightning, he explains. "The possibility that one day we can discover lightning [in these dust devils] is the most exciting aspect of the results," Sheel told In terms of distribution, the study found that larger, positively-charged particles would settle at the bottom of the dust devil while lighter, negatively-charged ones would rise upward. The team also found that larger dust particles would increase the possibility of lightning. "[The paper] adds an original level of complexity by discussing size distributions," Yair said. "This is an important addition to the existing literature, with practical implications." However, regarding the possibility of dust devils generating lightning, Yair says, "I am surprised that the authors discuss the probability of lightning inside the dust devil while neglecting the fact that highly charged dust may discharge at much lower electric fields … negating the possibility of lightning." "In the end, predictions about lightning are very difficult because we don't fully understand how particles charge each other, not even really on Earth. … Ultimately, I think the question will be settled only [by] direct observations on Mars," Steven Desch, a professor of astrophysics at Arizona State University, who was also not involved in the study, told RELATED STORIES — NASA's Curiosity rover takes a closer look at 'spiderwebs' on Mars | Space photo of the day for July 1, 2025 — NASA budget cuts threaten Europe's already troubled flagship Mars rover — Turning the Red Planet green? It's time to take terraforming Mars seriously, scientists say Some progress may have happened on that front, too. A recent study — shared by a group led by Baptiste Chide of the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, France at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna in May — may have recorded the thunder from an electrical discharge. "Electrical discharges such as lightning are among the most energetic and remarkable phenomena in planetary atmospheres," write the authors in their paper. They studied sounds recorded by the SuperCam microphone onboard the NASA Perseverance rover on Mars. The recordings showed signs of coming from an electric discharge in a dust devil. This is the first such direct detection on Mars, setting the stage for newer discoveries by upcoming Mars missions such as the European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin rover. The study was published in the journal Physics of Plasmas in March. Solve the daily Crossword
CNBC
01-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
The cost of Israel's war with Iran
Zvi Eckstein, head of the Aaron Economic Policy Institute at Reichman University and former deputy governor of the Bank of Israel, speaks to CNBC about the cost of the Israel-Iran war.
Al Manar
20-06-2025
- Business
- Al Manar
Israeli Economy Hit Hard by Iranian Missiles: Losses Estimated in Billions of Dollars
The confrontation with Iran has been imposing significant economic burdens on the Israeli regime, surging into the hundreds of millions of dollars per day, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, threatening Tel Aviv's ability to sustain a prolonged war. Zvi Eckstein, an Israeli economist, and head of the Aaron Institute for Economic Policy at Reichman University, confirmed that 'this war is far more expensive than Gaza or Hezbollah,' referring to the latest war on Lebanon between September and November 2024. He said: 'The ammunition- defensive and offensive- is the big expense.' The institute estimated that a month-long war could cost Israel as much as $12 billion. According to a June 15 report by the Israeli news outlet Ynet News, quoting a former financial adviser to the Israeli military's chief of staff, stated that the cost has exceeded 5.5 billion shekels (roughly $1.45 billion) for the first two days of confrontation with Iran alone. The economic losses mainly constitute of the Israeli attacks on Iran and the interception of Iranian missiles – attack and defense. Consequently, the financial toll from Iranian missile strikes increases accordingly. $14 billion in damage to Israel after morning attack Today's Iranian strike has already caused initial losses of $14 billion on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Israel's main stock exchange index, with a total turnover of $475 billion, fell more than 3% – its biggest drop since the… — Sprinter Observer (@SprinterObserve) June 19, 2025 High-Tech Attack and Defense Systems According to Israeli economic advisers, Israel has been spending more than 2.75 billion shekels ($725 million) per day on direct military operations against Iran. Just jet fuel and armaments require a cost of almost $300 million each day. The Israeli Air Force has been actively launching F-35 fighter jets across distances exceeding 1,000 miles, costing roughly $10,000 per hour of flight. In terms of air defenses, David's Sling is one of Israeli key defense systems that intercepts short-to-medium range missiles and drones at a cost of approximately $700,000 per intercept, typically using two missiles per launch. Meanwhile, 'Arrow 3' system, operating beyond the atmosphere to counter long-range ballistic missiles, costs about 4$ million per interception. Its predecessor, 'Arrow 2,' designed for in-atmosphere interception, costs roughly $3 million per missile. Mounting Damage Drains the Israeli Economy Engineers has been estimating that reconstruction costs due to missile strikes will exceed $400 million as a result of the damage of hundreds of buildings, and the evacuation of more than 5,000 civilians. After being hit, the largest Israeli oil refinery in Haifa has been temporarily shut down, and work in several significant infrastructure sectors has been suspended. According to the Israeli public broadcaster 'Kan,' the Israeli regime will approve a payment of 500 shekels (approximately $145) for each settler whose home was destructed in the Iranian missile strikes, neglecting any compensation for owners of commercial properties. An Israeli economic journalist, Liel Keiser, also highlighted the destruction of around 1,500 homes and apartments over just 4 days of the Iranian missile strikes. She warned that the fund designated for property tax holds roughly 9.5 billion shekels and has been gradually depleted, imposing an emerging cause for concern.
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First Post
18-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Inside Netanyahu's campaign to destroy Iran's bunker nuclear sites: Here's what Israeli expert says
Despite being Israel's principal objective, the destruction of Iran's nuclear sites has barely been achieved so far. As these underground sites remain out of bounds to Israel, Israel is looking at US President Donald Trump to join the war with his 'bunker buster' bombs. Here is how the joint Israel-US war on Iran may play out — or what happens if he wouldn't join. read more More than four decades after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei committed the Islamic Republic of Iran to the destruction of the Jewish state, Israel has dealt catastrophic blows to the ayatollah's regime — the military leadership has been decapitated, air defences have been destroyed, critical infrastructure and military sites stand battered, and the Supreme Leader remains in hiding. But Israel needs US help to go the final mile. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set the destruction of Iran's nuclear capabilities as the principal objective of 'Operation Rising Lion'. As Israel does not have capabilities to destroy Iran's underground nuclear sites, that's an impossible objective unless Israel's principle partner, the United States, steps in. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The war might appear as a gamble as the success rests on whether US President Donald Trump joins or not, that is not the case and the decision to launch the war was a calculated move, says Daphne Richemond Barak, a professor of international relations at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy & Strategy at Israel's Reichman University. Despite being the principal objective, the destruction of nuclear sites is the one that's least achieved so far as the Fordow nuclear site, which houses Iran's most advanced centrifuges that produce near-weapons grade uranium, remains standing. But that may change soon as Trump sought Iran's 'unconditional surrender' on Tuesday and appeared to set the tone for military action. ALSO READ: As Netanyahu dares Khamenei, here's timeline of Israel-Iran conflict Barak tells Firstpost, 'There is definitely a certain hope on part of Prime Minister Netanyahu of the United States joining the war. Israel has already degraded Iran's capabilities to a great extent that goes a long way in denying it a nuclear weapon.' Fordow: The mountain nuclear base that stands in way of Israeli victory — and how Israel plans to breach it After striking Natanz, all eyes are on the Fordow nuclear site, which is housed in an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) base and built inside a mountain. It is situated near the holy city of Qom. While some sources say it goes as deep as half a mile underground, Barak, a specialist in underground warfare, says the facility reaches the depth of 60-100 metres — beyond the scope of Israel's munitions. Barak says that Fordow is not built simply under 60-100 metres of soil, but it is built under 60 to 100 metres of concrete. The Natanz site is understood to be similarly built with 20-3o metres of concrete above it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'For more than a decade, Iran has progressively and consistently placed its nuclear programme deep underground. While Fordow and Natanz are well known, such facilities are spread across Iran. Israel can attempt to destroy such facilities in two ways. The first is the Nasrallah way and the second is through special, heavy 'bunker buster' munitions that only the United States has,' says Barak. The first option refers to how Israel assassinated former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last year in Beirut, Lebanon. He was also hiding in a bunker with 18-20 metres of concrete above him. 'Israel struck the top of Nasrallah's bunker with precision-guided bombs. Israel launched bombs on top of each other until they breached through 20 metres of concrete and killed Nasrallah. Such brute strength is enough to reach the underground levels of Natanz but not Fordow,' says Barak. In Nasrallah's case, Israel dropped around 80 tons of explosives in serial strikes on top of each other within just 10 seconds — like hammering an 80-ton explosive nail through concrete until it reached Nasrallah. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the second option, US 'bunker buster' munitions, the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) and GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs, would be used. They can penetrate up to 60 metres of concrete. To breach the reinforced roof of the Fordow facility, multiple strikes of such ordnance — colloquially called 'mother of all bombs'— would be required. 'These bombs have hardened metal tips and are heavy by themselves even without explosives. With their weight and speed that they are launched from, these bombs penetrate their target whether it's soil or concrete. They do not explode immediately on impact," Barak says. 'Instead, they explode after they have penetrated the target. The delayed explosion after penetration means the damage is concentrated inside the target structure and not on top of it. This also increases the radius of the area these bombs damage,' says Barak, the author of the book 'Underground Warfare' (2018). ALSO READ: As Israel goes to war with Iran, here's how Islamic Revolution turned partners into enemies STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It is not just that these bombs are with the United States, but only a select few in the US military have the expertise to launch them. The GBU-43/B MOAB can only be launched by a modified C-130 aircraft from its ramp and GBU-57A/B MOP can only be launched from a B-2 stealth bomber. While the United States can theoretically loan these assets to Israel, it will likely not be the case as the United States guards such technology zealously even from its closest allies and partners. This means that if such bunker busters are used, they would most likely be dropped by the US Air Force itself. Barak says that Prime Minister Netanyahu is hopeful the United States will join and there are multiple ways that may happen. 'President Trump might decide to join proactively or he could join in response to an Iranian attack on US bases in the region or could launch a pre-emptive strike in response to an imminent attack. After all, the Israeli operation is also a pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear programme as Israel believes that this would be the final window to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon,' says Barak. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indeed, there are indications that may happen — or at least preparations are being made. Trump lays groundwork for attack on Iran After maintaining for the first three days of the war that he would prefer a deal with Iran to end the conflict, Trump started laying groundwork for direct military involvement over the weekend. After moving more than 30 aerial refuelling tankers to Europe to support operations in West Asia over the weekend, Trump bolstered existing squadrons in the region with additional fighter planes on Tuesday. US Navy's Nimitz carrier strike group is also being rushed to the region to join Carl Vinston carrier strike group — two carrier strike groups generally comprise at least 120 warplanes, four cruisers, four destroyers, and possibly submarines as well. ALSO READ: Israel's multi-front war with Iran could alter power dynamics in West Asia for a long time In what appeared to be an attempt to set pretext for an attack, the Trump administration posted dozens of videos of Trump in a thread on X that mentioned all the occasions over the years when Trump said he would not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Barak says that the US positioning might not just be about attacking Iran, but it could also be about pressuring Iran into reaching a deal — Trump after all prides himself as a master dealmaker. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What's the road ahead? 4 possibilities As Israel has battered Iran and cornered Khamenei, Barak tells Firstpost there are four possibilities how the conflict might conclude. Firstly, Trump might join the war and bomb Iran's nuclear sites. Secondly, Trump refuses to join the war but supports Israel's war — minus the supply of bunker busters to destroy the Fordow site. 'In such a case, it might appear that Israel would have lost, but that would not be the case. Even without destroying Fordow, Israel has degraded Iran's capabilities and set the Iranian nuclear programme back by many years. That is a good enough outcome for Israel short of complete destruction of nuclear capabilities,' says Barak. Thirdly, the Israeli campaign serves as a pressure on Khamenei to enter negotiations seriously and reach a deal. Fourthly, even as Israel batters Iran, the people of the country rise up against Khamenei's regime — Netanyahu has said that one of the outcomes of the war could be a change of regime in Iran. However, not everyone agrees with Barak. There is a line of thought that anything short of complete destruction of Iranian nuclear capabilities would lead to Khamenei going full-throttle for the development of a nuclear weapon to make up for lost conventional deterrence. Barak says that he would not be in a position to do so. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'A week ago, Khamenei could perhaps have developed a weapon in a short duration if he wanted to. Now, we are not living in the same world as a week ago. The various capabilities involved in making a nuclear weapon have been degraded enough so that even if the Fordow site is left standing, Iran would not be in a position to make a nuclear weapon for years,' says Barak. Even though Israel could not cause much damage to the underground levels of the Natanz facility, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi has told BBC News that all centrifuges at the underground uranium enrichment facility at the Natanz nuclear site were 'severely damaged if not destroyed altogether'. While the centrifuges were not directly hit, they were still affected as Israel's aboveground strikes 'completely destroyed' electricity systems that were required to sustain those centrifuges, according to Grossi. Could Natanz's centrifuges be a metaphor for what might be in the offing for Khamenei? While Israel may not go after Khamenei, a chain reaction may still paralyse his regime in the days to come.
Telegraph
25-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
The professor who believes she's found the secret to sexual attraction in long-term relationships
Gurit Birnbaum loves sex. So fascinated is she by everything to do with human sexuality that she got a PhD in the subject, from Bar-Ilan University in Israel, nearly 30 years ago. Now she is professor of psychology at Reichman University, and a world-leading expert on sexual behaviour. 'When I was getting my PhD, in my early 20s, I was discovering the joys of sex,' Prof Birnbaum says. 'In the course of my research I found that sex can be a source of joy and excitement for some people, like me, but a source of agony and even boredom for others. I was quite shocked to find that not everyone enjoys sex as much as I do.' The differences are often most stark inside of long-term relationships, Prof Birnbaum has found. Some couples feel just as attracted to each other decades down the line as they did in the first days of their courtship, and have just as much sex, too, her research has found. For most however, desire declines over time, and frequency of sex with it. Women are especially likely to lose sexual attraction to their partners over the years. 'Humans make sex so complicated,' Prof Birnbaum says, but it's actually pretty straightforward. Sex 'plays an important part in how we form relationships with potential partners, and in holding those relationships together,' she explains. Although 'for some people, sex is not related to how they function within the relationship,' for the majority of us, 'the health of a couple's sex life reflects the health of their relationship as a whole'. The good news is that our sex lives are not unchangeable, even after years of dissatisfaction. In fact, they can be improved easily, Prof Birnbaum says. Here is what she knows about why desire wanes in long-term relationships, and how to keep enjoying sex well into old age – without having an affair. We risk breaking up when boredom sets in Most couples look back fondly on their first months or years together, remembering it as a time when feelings were strong and desire for each other was high. 'When you meet someone new that you want to have sex with, it often feels like a visceral, animal reaction,' she says. Those feelings serve an important evolutionary purpose: 'It's actually a cue that indicates to you at the gut level that this person might be a potential good match for you as a partner, and leads you to find out whether that person might be compatible with you, in that you have similar in hobbies or interests,' Prof Birnbaum explains. Over time, as we get used to our partners, we don't feel the same desperate need to have sex with them. On the one hand, this allows for a more intimate, stable connection to develop between two people. But at the same time, familiarity makes our partners seem less desirable, a change happens in almost all relationships. The honeymoon phase is a very real phenomenon: on average, those naturally high feelings of desire last for a year to two and a half years, Prof Birnbaum's research reveals, after which maintaining a vibrant sex life is much harder. Yet sex 'preserves connections that are emotionally satisfying,' and a lack thereof 'leaves the ones that don't meet our needs vulnerable to a breakup', says Prof Birnbaum. So finding a remedy can be crucial. 'Novelty is crucial to instigating sexual desire,' says Prof Birnbaum, 'and that doesn't have to mean sex toys and roleplay. Foreplay in this sense starts outside the bedroom.' Going on dates and making time for each other only becomes more crucial as a relationship ages. 'Doing things together means that you keep getting to know your partner and see them in different lights. Talk about new topics with each other, do new and exciting things together, learn new things together, try to observe your partner under different circumstances and in the different roles they take on throughout their lives, that you don't typically see. You will likely discover that your partner isn't this boring person you've already learnt everything about after all, and that there's still more you can learn about them and be excited about.' It's vital to also have your own life. 'It's important to have friends of your own and hobbies of your own so that you don't feel fully enmeshed. Often this helps to boost desire as it maintains the distinction between you and your partner, meaning that they remain someone you want to chase after.' Not all desire is the same At the beginning of a relationship, we typically experience 'spontaneous' desire, Prof Birnbaum says – the sort that 'drives the feeling that you can't get your hands off of each other'. But later on in relationships, 'responsive' desire takes over. 'This means that you have to be committed to the process, accept sexual advances from your partner or initiate sex before you're aroused in the way that you used to be, and really pay attention to what's working to get you or your partner in the mood. In this way, you may feel desire for your partner, get into the mood, and enjoy the sexual interaction, even if you were not there in the first place.' Key here is a couple's willingness to foster responsive desire for each other, rather than hoping to bring back the exact same drive from their early relationship. This plays a key part in Prof Birnbaum's 'relationship development model' of sexual desire. 'It's not only a lack of desire itself, but also an apathy to the situation and a reluctance to do the work and meet each others' needs that leads to relationship breakdown,' she explains. The couples who manage to keep their sex lives thriving for decades are the ones who 'respond to each other's needs, sexually and outside of the bedroom too,' Prof Birnbaum says. 'They're more attuned to what the other needs, and even if one of them doesn't want to have sex, they find a way to navigate the discomfort and find other ways to address the needs that sex can meet – for closeness, intimacy and physical touch.' Prof Birnbaum recommends that couples start trying to initiate this kind of desire an hour before they'd like to have sex: 'People like to feel courted because it makes them feel wanted.' Affairs are contagious If you've ever suspected that infidelity can catch, based on the behaviour of people in your own social groups, then you're right, at least according to Prof Birnbaum. 'Social behaviours can be contagious,' she says. 'It all depends on what's seen as normal within your social groups. If you see one of your friends cheat on their partner, then you're more likely to think that it's acceptable and not that bad, and to behave that way yourself.' We're all vulnerable to this, says Prof Birnbaum, but some more than others. 'Being intoxicated is one example of what makes someone more likely to cheat, but we are also much less likely to resist temptation if we aren't getting enough emotional resources from within our relationships,' she explains. 'People may cheat on their partners even if they are happy with them, however. It's the balance between the magnitude of temptations, whether you are too depleted to control your urges, and the circumstances that will determine how you will resolve the conflict between desire for others – which we all have – and the wish to maintain your current relationship.' 'When you meet someone new that you're attracted to, there's an internal conflict between maintaining the relationship and coping with the temptation,' she says. 'Personal differences like high levels of narcissistic traits, or feeling insecure, can impact whether cheating happens, as well as how valuable your relationship is to you.' Building a relationship that's invulnerable to infidelity is very difficult. But often, 'people just don't consider the negative consequences of their actions when they're in the midst of a strong attraction,' says Prof Birnbaum. 'In one of our studies, we asked people to take their partner's perspective when faced with advances from an attractive person, and we found that doing so made them less likely to cooperate with the flirtatious interaction, because their partner and the potential impact on them was on their mind, and they could empathise with the pain that their partner might potentially feel.' Women and men are different Women are much more likely than men to lose desire for sex altogether. Hormonal changes around the menopause can influence this, but there's more to it than that, Prof Birnbaum says. 'Women tend to be more attuned to their partner's behaviour, both positive and negative, so the relational context is likely to affect them more strongly when it comes to whether or not they want sex and whether they enjoy it,' she says. In the worst cases, where a couple are consistently in conflict, this can cause women to 'shut their sexual systems down entirely,' says Prof Birnbaum. 'When a woman's partner behaves destructively and is frequently critical, she will be likely to express that by backing away from her partner sexually, consciously or unconsciously. If her partner doesn't satisfy her emotional needs, or she feels that they aren't invested enough, then they'll just shut their sexual system.' This is also true when there's a perceived power imbalance, a belief that one person has more power than the other: 'it's a way of asserting yourself and taking back some control,' says Prof Birnbaum, and again it's not always conscious. Then there's the fact that 'many women feel that they get more work in terms of raising the kids and doing chores, on top of working, so naturally they're too exhausted for sex'. The remedy for this – aside from addressing the root causes – is improving your 'sexual communal strength', as Prof Birnbaum calls it. This is shorthand for 'the motivation you have to meet your partner's sexual needs, while still valuing your own needs, and seeing that this is reciprocated by your partner'. Research suggests that couples who have high sexual communal strength are happier in their relationships overall, regardless of how much sex they have, 'because they engaged in sex for positive, relationship-oriented reasons like fostering intimacy and connection'. This helps to improve the overall relationship 'climate', says Prof Birnbaum. It's also crucial not to say things to your partner that you can't take back. 'Even in the midst of a heated argument, you have to choose your words carefully and not say things that are going to hurt your partner and stay in their head for months,' Prof Birnbaum says. 'Women especially can find that this makes them very averse to sex.'
